Drank: Dark O’ the Moon Pumpkin Stout (Elysian Brewing Company)

Seattle’s Elysian Brewing is the pumpkin king of the
Northwest, brewing 13 different pumpkin beers and hosting a massive
pumpkin brew festival that draws entrants from as far away as Norway.
Elysian’s nutmeggy Night Owl Pumpkin Ale is a grocery store staple,
though I’ve always been disappointed in the weak glow of its jack o’
lantern. Dark o’ the Moon, the brewery’s bottled pumpkin stout, is
carved with an even duller knife. Malty porters are my preferred base
for a seriously squashy brew, so this beer’s hearty stout base seemed
promising. But Elysian’s stout is far too thick and meaty for whatever
little decorative baby gourds found their way into the mash. Deeply
roasty with chocolate notes and a little bitterness, it’s a great beer
for a chilly night. But three tasters agreed the pumpkin flesh and seeds
don’t come through at all. A decent stout, but a rotten pumpkin beer.
Not recommended.